IN a Christmas season shaped by recovery from Hurricane Melissa, Restaurants of Jamaica, through its brands KFC and Pizza Hut, has focused a large part of its outreach on ensuring youngsters in children’s homes and schools still experienced much-needed moments of joy, connection, and normalcy.

Across several visits this holiday season, more than 100 children were engaged through shared experiences that reminded them that they were seen and cared for in the period after the storm.

The outreach began in western Jamaica, where Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness carried his traditional annual Christmas treat outside of Kingston, and into communities that had been significantly affected by Hurricane Melissa.

For KFC and Pizza Hut, being part of that moment aligned naturally with work already under way in the west, where both brands had been supporting staff members and surrounding communities through ongoing relief and recovery efforts.

At Middle Quarters Primary School in St Elizabeth, where one of the prime minister’s Christmas treat was being held, ROJ’s activities unfolded with energy and excitement.

Children moved between activities, with a games tent and face-painted smiles bringing extra colour to the day. Alongside the various fun activities, the ROJ teams treated the children, and parents, to some of their favourite KFC and Pizza Hut meals, rounding out an afternoon built around fun, food, and familiarity.

Support in the west also extended to Top Hill Primary School where KFC has maintained a presence through earlier donations following Hurricane Beryl in 2024, and again after the October 28 Hurricane Melissa.

While the school has not yet resumed full operations, the team felt it was important to go beyond donations and do something special during the Christmas period, ensuring the children were not left behind.

A Christmas treat for the students was organised, with meals and rides provided, along with a charging station that allowed parents to power devices while spending time at the school. Additional meals were also donated to another ROJ outreach recipient, Mayfield Primary School, to support its end-of-term fun day, widening the reach of the effort.

Kandine West, marketing officer for KFC Jamaica, said the decision to remain active in communities throughout the holiday period was closely tied to the team’s wider recovery efforts.

“We’ve been walking alongside many of these communities through some of the hardest moments following the hurricane, so it felt important to also be there during the holidays. Christmas carries a special meaning for children and being able to share that time with them is part of how we continue to support recovery, not just in practical ways, but emotionally as well,” said West.

While western parishes were prioritised, the outreach also remained rooted in long-standing commitments.

In Kingston, the Pizza Hut team continued its annual visit to the Salvation Army’s Nest Children’s Home, ensuring the tradition was not interrupted despite the wider challenges following the storm.

The visit focused on spending quality time with the children, reconnecting through conversation, play and familiar routines that many look forward to each Christmas.

Staff at the home welcomed the continued commitment, sharing that while Kingston was spared the worst of the hurricane’s impact, the wider sense of uncertainty has still weighed heavily on children across the island. Being remembered during the holidays, they said, helped lift spirits and reassured the children that they had not been forgotten.

“Showing up through everything really means a lot to the children,” said Captain Keith Haughton, administrator at the home.

In St James, the outreach continued at the Anchovy-based Garland Hall Memorial Children’s Home.

The visit was also supported by ROJ’s beverage partner Pepsi Jamaica, which donated cases of water and beverages for the home.

Adding to the sense of community, 12 members of staff from Wakefield Primary and Infant School in St Catherine, including teachers and ancillary staff, joined the visit to spend time with the children, reinforcing the shared nature of the experience.

Reflecting on the outreach, Levene Sheriff, marketing officer for Pizza Hut Jamaica, said the visits were guided by consistency and care during a period that tested many communities.

“Christmas is a time that means a lot to children, especially when life feels uncertain. Even with everything that has happened, it was important for us to keep our commitments and to meet children where they are. These visits were about being present, sharing a moment, and reminding children that they are not forgotten,” said Sheriff.

Across the various visits, the focus remained on creating space for children to experience warmth, familiarity, and joy.

Whether in communities recovering from the storm or homes that have become part of an annual Christmas tradition, the outreach allowed children to simply be children during the holiday season.

Games in full swing at Garland Hall Memorial Children’s Home as members of the Pizza Hut team play with the kids while members of the Wakefield Primary and Infant School team cheered them on.

A game of jacks with wards of the Salvation Army’s Nest Children’s Home has the full attention of Levene Sheriff (left), marketing officer for Pizza Hut Jamaica, and Rosemarie Swaby of the Pizza Hut team.